Around the dial

Wally Cox once described himself as "a harmless preoccupied guy in a constant state of reduced effect," but at Comfort TV, David remembers him as one of the memorable figures of classic TV, and with a resume that includes Mr. Peepers, Underdog, and The Hollywood Squares, who can disagree? Read on for more. 

At bare-bones e-zine, Jack's Hitchcock Project comes to Casey Robinson's fourth-season episode "The Waxwork," a dark and mysterious ghost story starring Barry Nelson, Everett Sloane, and Shai K. Ophir, and a reminder that you shouldn't have yourself locked in a museum after hours. 

And speaking of Hitch, Martin Grams reminds us of "the best Hitchcock book you will ever read," François Truffaut's Hitchcock, in which the two directors sit down and spend 50 hours talking about Hitchcock's career. You can't be a film buff if you don't have this on your shelf.

Gill remians on the TV beat at RealWeegieMidget, and this week she looks at the work of some of this year's dearly departed: Shelley Duvall, Shannen Doherty, and Dabney Coleman, in three very different roles spanning two series and a telemovie. We can always be grateful for the work they left behind.

For a change of pace, John dips into the world of TV documentaries at Cult TV Blog, and this week's offering is the three-part BBC series Disciples, looking at the cult (no pun intended) the Synagogue Church of All Nations and its founder, TB Joshua. It's a sad reminder of how desperate people can get to find a reason for being in their lives.

A couple of quizzes for your entertainment and edification: Rick and the "We Name the Cast, You Name the Movie" game at Classic Film & TV Cafe, and the Metzingers' "Impossibly Difficult Name that Movie Game" at Silver Scenes. Let's see just how bmuch of an expert you are.

At Classic Film and TV Corner, Maddy looks back at the dual careers of Ida Lupino, who starred as one of the great actresses in front of the camera, and as the only female film director in America behind it. A remarkable woman, in so many ways.

Cult TV Lounge reenters the world of Perry Mason this week, with a look at a variety of episodes from the show's second season, one in which the series really starts to hit its stride. More mystery than courtroom drama, but loads of fun any way you look at it.

At A Shroud of Throughts, Terence remembers the life and career of writer/producer George Schenck, who wrote for shows including The Wild Wild West, Bonanza, and Fantasy Island, created Crazy Like a Fox and Bring 'Em Back Alive, and served as an executive producer on NCIS.

We'll close out with Michael and Roger at The View from the Junkyard, debating the Twilight Zone fifth-season episode "Black Leather Jackets." Their views differ, but that should just encourage you to check it out and make up your own mind. TV